Name: South Branch Valley Livestock Exchange livestock auction prices — 2024-04-24
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-04-24

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Fat Cattle Sale included in regular sale

Weight class

Bulls · summary 600–700 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

600–700 lb bulls averaged $154.00/cwt on 5 head.

Average price

$154.00

5 head · 644 lb average

Value per head Derived

$991

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$48

per head · Medium and Large 2 over Medium and Large 3

$1.25/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−40.01

vs WV average

What quality paid 600–700 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 2	615	155.00	953	1thin
Medium and Large 3	651	153.75	1,001	4thin

One grade step is worth $1.25/cwt here — about −$48 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 600–700 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 600–700 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale5 hd

154.00

—

WV average5 barns · 17 hd

194.01

−40.01

A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

Slaughter cattle

By class and quality grade · $/cwt

Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.

Class	Grade	Dressing	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Bulls	—	Average	1,726	143.67	2,480	6thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,333	113.61	1,514	18
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,460	112.00	1,635	1thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,161	87.22	1,013	22
Heifers	Choice	Average	1,276	177.96	2,271	5thin
Steers	Choice and Prime	Average	1,626	182.18	2,962	39
Steers	Choice	Average	1,544	179.10	2,765	11

Replacement cattle Per head

By class, stage and age

Bred stock and pairs are reported per head, not per hundredweight — these prices are never mixed with the $/cwt figures above.

Class	Stage	Age	Avg wt	$/head	Head
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	860	$1,950	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,055	$1,750	1thin

Every lot, as filed

20 lots · USDA AMS · South Branch Valley Livestock Exchange - Moorefield, WV

Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added.

Class	Grade / description	Weight	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,460	112.00/cwt	112.00–112.00	1,635	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,333	113.61/cwt	90.00–127.00	1,514	18
Heifers	Choice	—	1,276	177.96/cwt	174.00–181.00	2,271	5
Steers	Choice and Prime	—	1,626	182.18/cwt	180.00–184.00	2,962	39
Steers	Medium and Large 2Full	600–650	615	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	1,076	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	600–650	615	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	953	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 3	650–700	675	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	1,114	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 3Thin Fleshed	450–500	455	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	796	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 3Thin Fleshed	600–650	643	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	965	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 4Thin Fleshed	500–550	520	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	624	1
Steers	Large 2	900–950	900	173.00/cwt	173.00–173.00	1,557	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	200–250	200	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	530	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	200–250	210	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	557	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	250–300	260	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	650	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,055	1,750.00/head	1,750.00–1,750.00	1,750	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	860	1,950.00/head	1,950.00–1,950.00	1,950	1
Bulls	—	—	1,726	143.67/cwt	132.00–158.00	2,480	6
Steers	Choice	—	1,544	179.10/cwt	173.00–183.00	2,765	11
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,209	92.77/cwt	78.00–110.00	1,122	19
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	857	52.10/cwt	43.00–62.00	446	3

How this sale compares

West Virginia weighted averages

One sale is one barn on one day. The state ladder is every West Virginia auction USDA reported that week, weighted by head — the fairer test of whether a lot sold well.

West Virginia feeder prices, every weight →Every state and region →